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Indonesia — Thousands of worshippers climb up to an active volcano in Indonesia, on Saturday 26 June to hurl livestock and other offerings into its smoking crater, for nearly a centuries-old religious tradition.
Annually, as part of the Yadnya Kasada celebration, members from the Tengger tribe travel from the surrounding hills to offer fruit, vegetables, flowers, and even animals such as goats and chickens into Mount Bromo’s crater by throwing everything inside.
This ritual is performed to please their ancestors and Hindu gods by presenting offerings, and in return, they wish to be blessed with prosperity and abundance for their communities.
Several villagers, who are not part of the Tengger tribe wait on the crater’s steep slopes, attempting to grab the offerings with nets and sacks before they vanish into the rising smoke and dust.
This is not exactly a part of the tradition, but the local’s desire to not squander the contributions and hence collect them.
The Yadnya Kasada celebration on Saturday was the second since the Covid-19 epidemic struck Indonesia.
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“It can’t be held in another place or be done virtually,” Bambang Suprapto, the leader of the Hindu community organisation of the region, stated.
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“But organisers applied strict health protocols and they’ve been tested for the virus so we can protect everyone who attended.”
The month-long celebration is based on a tale about a princess and her husband from the Javanese Hindu Majapahit empire in the 15th century. The couple implored the gods for aid after years of marriage since they were unable to have children. Their wishes were fulfilled, and they were promised 25 children provided they consented to send their youngest kid into Mount Bromo as a sacrifice.
According to folklore, this son voluntarily jumped into the volcano to ensure the Tengger people’s prosperity.
The Tengger still practise this ritual, but they do not sacrifice humans. They sacrifice their farm animals instead.
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Divyanshi Singh is an intern at The Independent SG/ TISG.
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